Guideway mechanism

ABSTRACT

An exemplary guideway mechanism includes four branches each including two parallel rails, four groups of connecting blocks each including four connecting blocks arranged at four corners of an imaginary square, and four supporting brackets each connecting one corresponding group of connecting blocks. Adjacent ends of the rails of each branch respectively connect two adjacent connecting blocks. Each of two ends of each rail connects one corresponding connecting block. Two adjacent rails respectively located in two adjacent branches are perpendicular to each other and connected together by a respective connecting block of one corresponding group of connecting blocks. The other two rails respectively located in the two adjacent branches connect another two respective connecting blocks of the one corresponding group of connecting blocks. The whole guideway mechanism is frame-shaped.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application is a divisional application of patentapplication Ser. No. 13/182,428, filed on Jul. 13, 2011, entitled“GUIDEWAY MECHANISM,” which is assigned to the same assignee as thepresent application, and which is based on and claims priority fromTaiwanese Patent Application No. 100113959 filed in Taiwan on Apr. 22,2011. The disclosures of patent application Ser. No. 13/182,428 and theTaiwanese Patent Application are incorporated herein by reference intheir entirety.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The disclosure relates to a guideway mechanism used in a workshop.

2. Description of Related Art

In a typical workshop, a mobile platform moves along a rail mounted on aceiling of the workshop. A manipulator of a robot is suspended from themobile platform, and the mobile platform and the robot control work on aproduction line below the mobile platform. However, adaptability of aconventional rail is poor. When an extending direction of the rail alongthe ceiling of the workshop needs to be changed, all parts of theoriginal rail must be dismantled from the ceiling and replaced with anewly assembled rail having an extending direction different from thatof the original rail.

What is needed, therefore, is a guideway mechanism which can overcomethe limitations described.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an assembled, isometric view of a guideway mechanism inaccordance with a first embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a rail of the guideway mechanism of FIG.1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a connecting block of the guidewaymechanism of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a supporting bracket of the guidewaymechanism of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a locking member of the guideway mechanismof

FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is an assembled, isometric view of a guideway mechanism inaccordance with a second embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of a locking member of the guideway mechanismof FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is an assembled, isometric view of a guideway mechanism inaccordance with a third embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIG. 1, a guideway mechanism 10 in accordance with a firstembodiment is shown. The guideway mechanism 10 can be mounted on aceiling of a workshop. A mobile platform (not shown) can be mounted onthe guideway mechanism 10 and can move along the guideway mechanism 10.An electrical source (not shown) is connected to the mobile platform viaa plurality of electrical wires (not shown) to drive the mobile platformto move along the guideway mechanism 10. The guideway mechanism 10 issubstantially cross-shaped, and includes four branches 12, a group ofconnecting blocks 14, a supporting bracket 16, and four locking members18.

Each branch 12 includes two parallel rails 122. Two adjacent rails 122respectively located in two adjacent branches 12 are perpendicular toeach other, and connected together by a respective connecting block 14.Also referring to FIG. 2, each rail 122 defines two elongated firstgrooves 124 respectively in top and bottom sides thereof along alengthwise direction. A transverse cross section of each first groove124 defines a substantially semicircular shape. Each rail 122 definestwo elongated second grooves 128 in an inner side thereof along thelengthwise direction, for receiving the electrical wires of theelectrical source. A transverse cross section of each second groove 128is rectangular. Two spaced connecting posts 126 protrude from each endof the rail 122.

Also referring to FIG. 3, the group of connecting blocks 14 includesfour connecting blocks 14 arranged at four corners of an imaginarysquare. Each connecting block 14 includes a top face 141, a bottom face142 parallel to the top face 141, two perpendicularly adjacent innerside faces 143, an arc-shaped outer side face 144, and two connectingfaces 145 located at two ends of the connecting block 14. Eachconnecting block 14 defines two elongated, perpendicular third grooves1412 in each of the top and bottom faces 141, 142 thereof. A fixing hole1414 is defined in the top face 141 of each connecting block 14. Twoparallel fourth grooves 1432 are defined in each inner side face 143 ofeach connecting block 14, for receiving the electrical wires of theelectrical source. A transverse cross section of each fourth groove 1432is rectangular. Two spaced connecting holes 146 are defined in eachconnecting face 145 of each connecting block 14. The two connectingposts 126 of one end of a respective rail 122 are inserted into the twoconnecting holes 146 in a corresponding end of the connecting block 14,so that the third grooves 1412 and the fourth grooves 1432 of theconnecting block 14 respectively communicate with the first grooves 124and the second grooves 128 of the rail 122.

Also referring to FIG. 4, the supporting bracket 16 is connected to thegroup of connecting blocks 14. The supporting bracket 16 includes arectangular top plate 162 and four supporting poles 164 extendingperpendicularly downwardly from four corners of the top plate 162. Thetop plate 162 defines a fastening hole 1622 in a center thereof, andfour through holes 1624 evenly arranged around the fastening hole 1622.A fastener (not shown) can extend through the fastening hole 1622 of thetop plate 162 to fasten the guideway mechanism 10 on the ceiling of theworkshop. The four through holes 1624 are used for the electrical wiresof the electrical source to extend therethrough. A bottom end of eachsupporting pole 164 is inserted into the fixing hole 1414 of acorresponding connecting block 14, to connect the supporting bracket 16with the group of connecting blocks 14.

Also referring to FIG. 5, each locking member 18 is connected to theends of the two rails 122 of a corresponding branch 12 which are awayfrom the connecting blocks 14. Each locking member 18 includes arectangular side plate 182, a blocking portion 184 extendingperpendicularly from a middle of the side plate 182, and two spacedcolumn-shaped protruding poles 188 extending perpendicularly from eachof two ends of the side plate 182. Each of the two ends of the sideplate 182 defines two spaced circular through holes 187 therein. The twoprotruding poles 188 are located at two opposite sides of the group oftwo through holes 187. Two spaced protruding bars 185 protrude from eachof two opposite sides of the blocking portion 184 generally toward theprotruding poles 188. A transverse cross section of each protruding bar185 is rectangular. The protruding bars 185 and the protruding poles 188are parallel to each other. The protruding bars 185 and the protrudingpoles 188 of each locking member 18 are respectively inserted into thefirst grooves 124 and the second grooves 128 in the ends of the tworails 122 of the corresponding branch 12. The connecting posts 126 ofthe ends of the two rails 122 of the corresponding branch 12 areinserted into the through holes 187 of the locking member 18. Theblocking portion 184 of each locking member 18 is sandwiched between thetwo rails 122 of the corresponding branch 12.

Also referring to FIG. 6, a guideway mechanism 10 a in accordance with asecond embodiment is shown. The guideway mechanism 10 a is frame-shaped,and includes four branches 12, four groups of connecting blocks 14, foursupporting brackets 16, and eight locking members 18 a. Each group ofconnecting blocks 14 is connected to one corresponding supportingbracket 16, and includes four connecting blocks 14 arranged at fourcorners of an imaginary square. Each branch 12 includes two parallelrails 122. Each of two ends of each rail 122 connects one correspondingconnecting block 14. Two adjacent rails 122 respectively located in twoadjacent branches 12 are perpendicular to each other, and connectedtogether by a respective connecting block 14 of one corresponding groupof connecting blocks 14. The other two rails 122 respectively located inthe two adjacent branches 12 connect another two respective connectingblocks 14 of the one corresponding group of connecting blocks 14.

Also referring to FIG. 7, the locking members 18 a of the guidewaymechanism 10 a of the second embodiment are similar to the lockingmembers 18 of the guideway mechanism 10 of the first embodiment. Eachlocking member 18 a includes a rectangular side plate 182, a blockingportion 184 extending perpendicularly from a middle of the side plate182, two spaced column-shaped protruding poles 188 extendingperpendicularly from each of two ends of the side plate 182, and twospaced protruding bars 185 protruding from each of two opposite sides ofthe blocking portion 184 generally toward the protruding poles 188. Thelocking members 18 a of the second embodiment and the locking members 18of the first embodiment differ in that each locking member 18 a has twospaced column-shaped protrusions 186 protruding from each of the twoends of the side plate 182. That is, the protrusions 186 effectivelyreplace the through holes 187 of the locking member 18 of the firstembodiment. At each end of the side plate 182, the two protruding poles188 are located at two sides of the group of two protrusions 186. Thelength of each protruding pole 188 is larger than that of eachprotrusion 186. The protruding bars 185, the protruding poles 188 andthe protrusions 186 are parallel to each other. In each group ofconnecting blocks 14, the ends of three of the connecting blocks 14which do not connect the rails 122 connect instead the correspondinglocking members 18 a. That is, the protruding bars 185, the protrudingpoles 188 and the protrusions 186 of each locking member 18 a arerespectively inserted into the fourth grooves 1432, the third grooves1412 and the connecting holes 146 of two corresponding adjacentconnecting blocks 14. Thereby, the blocking portion 184 of each lockingmember 18 a is sandwiched between two corresponding adjacent connectingblocks 14.

Also referring to FIG. 8, a guideway mechanism 10 b in accordance with athird embodiment is shown. The guideway mechanism 10 b is in the form ofa grid, and includes twenty-four branches 12, sixteen groups ofconnecting blocks 14, sixteen supporting brackets 16, and sixteenlocking members 18 a. Each group of connecting blocks 14 connects onesupporting bracket 16, and includes four connecting blocks 14 arrangedat four corners of an imaginary square. Each branch 12 includes twoparallel rails 122. Each of two ends of each rail 122 connects onecorresponding connecting block 14. Two adjacent rails 122 respectivelylocated in two adjacent branches 12 are perpendicular to each other, andconnected together by a respective connecting block 14 of onecorresponding group of connecting blocks 14. The other two rails 122respectively located in the two adjacent branches 12 connect another tworespective connecting blocks 14 of the one corresponding group ofconnecting blocks 14. The ends of certain of the connecting blocks 14which do not connect any of the rails 122 connect instead thecorresponding locking members 18 a.

According to the above, all members (i.e. rails 122, connecting blocks14, supporting brackets 16, and locking members 18, 18 a) can beconveniently dismantled from the respective guideway mechanisms andreassembled, replaced and/or added to using other suitable members tobecome guideway mechanisms with different shapes and configurationsaccording to different requirements. So the adaptability of the guidewaymechanisms is excellent.

It is to be understood, however, that even though numerouscharacteristics and advantages of the embodiments have been set forth inthe foregoing description, together with details of the structures andfunctions of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only; andchanges may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, andarrangement of parts within the principles of the disclosure to the fullextent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which theappended claims are expressed.

What is claimed is:
 1. A guideway mechanism comprising: four brancheseach comprising two parallel rails; four groups of connecting blockseach comprising four connecting blocks arranged at four corners of animaginary square, adjacent ends of the rails of each branch respectivelyconnecting two adjacent connecting blocks, each of two ends of each railconnecting one corresponding connecting block, two adjacent railsrespectively located in two adjacent branches being perpendicular toeach other and connected together by a respective connecting block ofone corresponding group of connecting blocks, the other two railsrespectively located in the two adjacent branches connecting another tworespective connecting blocks of the one corresponding group ofconnecting blocks; four supporting brackets each connecting onecorresponding group of connecting blocks; and eight locking members,ends of the connecting blocks which do not connect any of the railsconnecting instead with corresponding of the locking members, eachlocking member connecting two respective adjacent connecting blocks;wherein two spaced connecting posts protrude from each end of the rail,two spaced connecting holes being defined in each end of each connectingblock, the two connecting posts of one end of the rail being insertedinto the two connecting holes in a corresponding end of the connectingblock to connect the rail with the connecting block together; whereineach supporting bracket comprises a rectangular top plate and foursupporting poles extending perpendicularly downwardly from four cornersof the top plate, each connecting block defining a fixing hole, a bottomend of each supporting pole being inserted into the fixing hole of acorresponding connecting block to connect the supporting bracket withthe group of connecting blocks; and wherein each rail defines twoelongated grooves respectively in top and bottom sides thereof along alength direction, each connecting block defining two perpendiculargrooves in each of top and bottom faces thereof, the grooves of theconnecting block respectively communicating with the grooves of therail.
 2. The guideway mechanism of claim 1, wherein each locking membercomprises a rectangular side plate, a blocking portion extendingperpendicularly from a middle of the side plate, and two spacedprotrusions protruding from each of two ends of the side plate, theprotrusions of each locking member being inserted into the connectingholes of two corresponding adjacent connecting blocks to therebyconnecting the corresponding adjacent connecting blocks with the lockingmember, the blocking portion of each locking member being sandwichedbetween the adjacent connecting blocks.
 3. The guideway mechanism ofclaim 2, wherein each locking member further comprises two spacedprotruding poles extending perpendicularly from each of the two ends ofthe side plate, the protruding poles of each locking member beingrespectively inserted into the grooves of the two corresponding adjacentconnecting blocks.